Half-and-half hotpot and shine muscat highball at Ganbame, Jeonpo-dong

A Seomyeon second-round bar: Ganbame in Jeonpo-dong

Table setting with the half-and-half hotpot at Ganbame, a Jeonpo-dong bar

Table with hotpot and highball at Ganbame

Close-up of bar food at Ganbame, a Jeonpo-dong bar

Ganbame, a Jeonpo-dong bar with a delicious half-and-half hotpot

📍 32 Seojeon-ro 58beon-gil, Busanjin-gu, Busan, South Korea 🕒 Last order 3:00 AM next day ※ We recommend checking business hours before visiting.

Ganbame, a Jeonpo-dong bar we stopped at for round two. While hunting for a spot in Jeonpo-dong, we fell for the half-and-half hotpot here. Let me tell you about this Jeonpo-dong bar, highball and all.

Exterior of Ganbame lit with warm lighting

Entrance of Ganbame in Jeonpo-dong at night

A Jeonpo-dong bar we walked into just from the outside

After finishing round one, we were walking around looking for a second spot when the warm lighting and pretty exterior pulled us in. It had that cozy, snug Jeonpo-dong feel right away.

But when we opened the door, the place was so packed we couldn't even take a photo inside. "Wait, what is this place?" We'd only walked in for the pretty exterior — turns out it was already a popular Jeonpo-dong spot.

We stumbled on this place while hunting for a second-round spot in Seomyeon, and it felt like we'd properly struck gold on a great-atmosphere Seomyeon restaurant.

Pot of Ganbame's signature half-and-half hotpot

Half-and-half hotpot with both mala hotpot and beef hotpot

Ganbame's signature half-and-half hotpot, ₩29,900

Ganbame had both a mala hotpot and a beef hotpot, and picking just one felt impossible. So we went with the signature half-and-half hotpot for ₩29,900.

The luxury spicy tteokbokki (rice cakes) was tempting too, but we were already stuffed from round one. And yet — stuffed as we were — we still ordered a ₩29,900 hotpot. That's what round two is for.

If you're into broth-based bar food, the half-and-half hotpot at Ganbame is a recommended menu item among Jeonpo-dong bars.

The mala hotpot was more intense than expected

The mala hotpot hits with a fairly strong mala flavor. At first the heat and numbing sensation come on strong, but it doesn't linger too long and finishes fairly clean. A friend who isn't used to mala flavors still ate it happily, saying "this level is manageable." The broth isn't heavy or murky, which makes it a good pick as a drinking-food menu item among Jeonpo-dong bars.

The beef hotpot, in a word: delicious

On the other side, the beef hotpot is much gentler and more savory. The meat's umami seeps into the broth, and my spoon kept going back for more. Alternating a spicy, numbing bite of mala hotpot with a warm spoonful of beef hotpot was the perfect combo. If you visit Ganbame, I'd recommend the half-and-half hotpot so you can enjoy both flavors at once.

Close-up of the half-and-half hotpot simmering

Shine muscat highball, ₩9,000

The shine muscat highball was noticeably sweeter than a regular highball. The fragrant, refreshing grape aroma hits first, with the carbonation bubbling in behind it to make it easy to drink.

If you prefer a sweet, fruity style over a strong, boozy highball, this one's for you. The combo of a spicy bite of mala hotpot followed by a sip of shine muscat highball was especially good. This highball alone is a reason to want to come back to this Seomyeon spot.

A glass of shine muscat highball at Ganbame

Carbonation rising in the shine muscat highball

The soft tofu side dish was surprisingly good too

The soft tofu (yeondubu) that came out with the order couldn't be ignored either. It's topped with a bonito-flake flavor and a nutty, refreshing sauce like a sesame dressing. It's great to pick at before the hotpot arrives, and good for resetting your palate in between. When even the basic side dish is this solid, satisfaction quietly goes up.

Soft tofu side dish topped with bonito flakes

Even the restroom is thoughtfully stocked

I was a little surprised when I went to the restroom. There were hair ties, floss, even cotton swabs ready to use. Handy for flossing after eating meat or hotpot, and good for fixing your hair or makeup afterward too.

At a Jeonpo-dong bar you'd stop by on a date, these small touches are quietly welcome. It left the impression of a place that cares about more than just atmosphere. A good point for anyone looking for a date spot too.

Mango grapefruit bingsu on Ganbame's menu

I still can't stop thinking about the mango grapefruit bingsu

This time we were already way too full, so we gave up on the luxury spicy tteokbokki. But then I spotted mango grapefruit bingsu (shaved ice) on the menu. I really debated it. But after all that hotpot, my stomach just wasn't cooperating anymore.

So I've already decided what to order next time I'm at this Jeonpo-dong bar: luxury spicy tteokbokki + mango grapefruit bingsu. Now I have one more reason to come back :)